People have been rewriting stories from the villain’s point of view since Paradise Lost (at least!) but they’re having a particular heyday right now, as antiheroes and gray morality are charming us onscreen and in our books. We think fairy tales are especially ripe for this treatment. Here’s why.

1) They’re Wide Open

There’s one small thing that Disney adds to the fairy-tale canon every time it makes a movie, and it’s so insignificant that it’s easy to miss: all the characters get names. Rare is the fairy tale so fleshed out that it bothers to name anyone but its protagonist, and half of those are just nicknames. Fairy tales are sketches, deliberately so, with plot outlines and a cast of characters and not much else.

All those gaps are possibilities. The characters need personalities and motivations, the setting can be developed into a cohesive place and time, and the plot begins to twist to fill the space available. That’s to writers like a flame is to moths. We just can’t resist taking a simple story and shaping it into our own image.

2) A Little Perspective Makes a Big Difference

Speaking of motivations! Do you know why Rumplestilskin was so interesting in getting his hands on a miller-turned-queen’s firstborn son? No? Neither did the Grimm brothers. They just wrote down the story and washed their hands of it.

Too bad, because it sounds like there’s an interesting backstory there. We take two stabs at it in Wolves and Witches, but the possibilities are endless. Just asking “why” raises irresistible answers.

3) Even the Good Guys Aren’t Always That Great

The princess saves the Frog Prince by kissing him and…wait, no, she throws him against a wall. Various versions of Sleeping Beauty feature a prince who’s, shall we say, indifferent to whether his girlfriend ever wakes up. We have long-gone lovers submitting their beloved to tests of loyalty, and others demanding feats of incredible endurance, courage, or strength.

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About The Author

I am an Avid reader and mother of 3 adult children. Now 7 years after creating my first blog, Demon Lover's Book & More; book blogging has become my passion. Creating www.GotFiction.com blog has allowed me the opportunity to review great books, make wonderful friends and meet amazing authors.

I think the Rachel Morgan series gives the villain a voice in the form of Al the demon and Trent the fairy and it leaves you wondering are they really villains? Thank you for the fun post and congratulations on the new release, looking forward to the read.

That is a wonderful question. I too think the Rachel Morgan series is a great choice. I actually like the villains in that series as much as the good guys. I also like the BDB series as well. It is so interesting getting into the heads of some of those Lessers. Not to mention the new guys in the last two books. I love it. Great post and giveaway, thank you so much 😀

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Rating System Explanation

Five stars are like six-pack abs on a really tan, hunky guy not wearing much. They make us drool, we stroke them (the books, not the guys! - sometimes the guys...) and want to make sweet, sweet love to them. Five stars is the hottest, we mean, highest honor.

Four stars is a total hunkalicious of burning love, but maybe we didn't like his hair for some reason. We still think he's hot, and we're still going to recommend him, we mean, the book, to readers because it's a damn fine ass, we mean book.

Three stars = that awkward guy at the party. He's cute and you know he's cute, and if you look at him the right way, he even looks like Brad Pitt a little, but there are flaws. Surprisingly, he's good in bed (because you got drunk and shit happens).

Remember that - yeah we don't either.

One star is like expecting a somewhat attractive guy and being sent a Grumpy cat meme. We appreciate the effort, but no. This book was not for us. Grumpy cat might want to use it for litter though.